


Linger like a tattoo kiss

by Bluejay720



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Hickey AU, Hope's a dumbass, Josie gives Hope hickeys, So is Josie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:34:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29784465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluejay720/pseuds/Bluejay720
Summary: “Jo… I have an idea, but I need your help.” Hope looks worried for a second as she looks at Josie with a pleading gaze.“Do you need help burying the body? Cause I am way ahead of you, I already have three top spots that’ll be ideal, and a way to dissolve half his body.” Josie’s ready, she never liked Landon anyway.Hope keeps her penetrative gaze and locks eyes with Josie. Then, in a life changing turn of events, she utters words Josie never thought she would ever hear leave from Hope’s lips.“Josie. I need you to give me a hickey.”She stares dumbly for a long while before blinking once, and then twice.“What?”ORHope wants to date Landon, who's really not into a stable relationship, cue one Hope Mikaelson asking her totally platonic best friend to give her hickeys to make him jealous.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 57
Kudos: 396





	Linger like a tattoo kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is!!! I'm so glad I am able to post this! It took me 3 days of manic writing and I'm so so glad I am able to post this and Hope you like it 😋

"I can't believe him!" 

Hope storms into the room like a bat out of hell. Hiding all the fire and anger of her father in her eyes. The hint of a devil shining clear as the wrath overtakes her. 

Josie sits on the bed and looks up at the sudden outburst. She watches as her friend begins to walk holes in her floor. Back and forth, back and forth. 

"I'm assuming Landon did something?" 

Josie had been in this situation before. Hope storming in, ranting about her kinda sorta boyfriend, angry beyond belief. 

"He said that I have unresolved emotional trauma and should deal with that before I get in a relationship!" 

Josie lays down her book that she had been reading. Her notebooks layed scattered on the bed filled with notes and half finished homework. 

The past few weeks have been hard on Josie. Junior year had been picking up speed and on top of that, her best friend had tried to date Landon Kirby, captain of the Dnd club. 

How he caught Hope's eye is beyond Josie, but the few times she had met with him, he seemed... nice enough...

Hope doesn't give her a chance to speak though, still in her ranting mode. 

"Can you believe that? Me? Unresolved emotional trauma? I have completely resolved my trauma. Where does he get off on thinking he can tell me what to do." 

Hope sits down on the bed next to Josie. She drops into her friends arms and leans into her touch. Hope's anger seems to have been spent and she's far more calm.

"I just don't get it. I thought he was different from everyone else. I thought that he could possibly be my… Epic love.” Hope mumbles the words as her cheeks turn red from embarrassment. Josie can’t help but love the color on the redheads' pretty face. 

Ever since her parents had died, one of the last things Hayley had told her daughter was to have at least one epic love. Hope took it to heart and felt that at the ripe old age of eighteen, she was going to die an old widow if she didn’t find her epic love. Cue one Landon Kirby who apparently wasn’t the type to be tied down to a stable relationship. 

“I take it this means that he wants to stop seeing you?” Josie scratches Hope's scalp and pets her hair gently, loving the feeling of the long strands running through her fingers. 

“No! That’s the worst part… He seems like he wants to continue seeing me without seeing me… Like he said he still wanted to makeout and stuff and hangout but… without the dating side of things...” Josie pulls back and sits up so Hope is forced to look at her. 

“Is he serious? Does he not know how amazing you are? He should be bloody worshipping the ground you walk on and be absolutely elated that you would even deem him worthy of your attention.” Josie feels fired up now, even slipping into some of the words Hope picked up from her aunt as she traveled Europe. 

Hope looks at Josie like she hung the stars just for her, smiling wide at Josie’s dramatic exclamations. “You dropped his ass, right? That’s not right that he basically wants you for the benefits of “dating” without the actual label.” Josie is still visibly pissed off for her friend and wants nothing more than to kick Landon Kirby's nerdy chicken headed ass.

Hope ducks her head and looks at the blanket that’s on Josie’s legs with sudden interest. “Hope… You did drop him right…?” Josie cringes at the delayed response and groans loudly. 

“But Josie! What if he decides to want a relationship after a while? I could be throwing away something before it has even begun!” Hope has a slight pleading in her voice now as she leans against Josie’s body even more, moving so one leg is thrown over Josie’s and she’s practically on top of her. 

“If he doesn’t want a relationship now and can’t see how freaking amazing you are then he’s not worth it.” Hope brings out her best defense with her adorable and kissable lips out in a pout. Josie can’t resist the pout and sighs loudly, letting Hope off the hook. 

“Okay, fine, but did he give any more reason as to why he didn’t want a relationship now at least?”

Hope looks back away from Josie as if she has even more bad news. Josie groans inwardly and prepares for something more. “He didn’t really say… but he had a neck full of suspiciously placed bandages…” 

Josie can’t keep the anger from her voice. “Hope! Please tell me you are still not even considering going out with him now!” Josie’s beyond exasperated at Landon. How could he possibly think anyone else could even be remotely as amazing as Hope? 

She was smart, and drop dead gorgeous. Josie would do anything to have Hope want her the way she wanted Landon. 

Wait… what?

Josie shakes the thought out of her head and moves on to hating Landon again, already thinking of ways to end his existence. Lizzie may be the outwardly expressive twin, most people thinking Josie wouldn't hurt a fly, but she also knew her way around plenty of fun chemicals in chemistry. She’s already coming up with a chemical equation that would set Landon on fire in the most efficient way possible.

“Jo? Jo, you have that look again when you're thinking about fire.” Hope finally gets her attention as Josie snaps out of it, shaking her head and looking back at Hope with a sheepish expression on her face. 

“Sorry.” She begins, not feeling sorry in the least. “You deserve better than some guy who walks around with Hickeys you didn’t give him all over his neck and someone that doesn’t want to define your relationship.” Josie scowls at the thought and glares at the door, fire still on her mind. 

Maybe she could take a page out of her twelve year olds self and set his locker on fire. That’s what she had done with Hope when she slipped the note in her locker… 

Hope gets an idea, made evident by the distant look in her eyes as she stares off into space. “Hope?” The older girl doesn’t look at Josie for a few seconds before her gaze turns back towards Josie, a smile that Josie doesn’t like one bit spreading across her face. 

“Jo… I have an idea, but I need your help.” Hope looks worried for a second as she looks at Josie with a pleading gaze.

“Do you need help burying the body? Cause I am way ahead of you, I already have three top spots that’ll be ideal, and a way to dissolve half his body.” Josie’s ready, she never liked Landon anyway.

Hope rolls her eyes and pushes Josie so she’s leaning her back against the bed and moves further on top of her. Already used to Josie’s sometimes dark antics and ready to murder attitude. 

Hope keeps her penetrative gaze and locks eyes with Josie. Then, in a life changing turn of events, she utters words Josie never thought she would ever hear leave from Hope’s lips. 

“Josie. I need you to give me a hickey.” 

It takes quite a few moments before Josie’s brain can reboot. She feels like an old computer that just tried to do too many things at once and caught on fire. She stares dumbly for a long while before blinking once, and then twice. 

“What?” 

Hope keeps the same intense stare and doesn’t look anywhere else but at Josie.

“I need you to give me a hickey.” 

Josie still is struggling to process the words, her mind unable to come up with any logical reason that those words in that order are coming from Hope’s lips while directed at her. 

Hope continues after Josie doesn’t say anything else. “If Landon wants to go around kissing other people and doesn’t want a relationship, I should show him that I don’t need him and can make out with other people too!” Hope seems far too smug with her idea, as if she just told Josie something incredibly amazing and smart rather than utterly insane. 

“I don’t understand how me giving you… a… you having one on your neck is going to change anything with Landon.” Josie swallows hard and looks away, feeling as if she is unable to say the word hickey.

“Because Jo! If he sees I have other options and am not sitting around waiting for him, he might change his mind about the relationship status! It’ll make him jealous!” Hope sits back and wraps her arms around Joise’s neck, smiling wide.

Josie already has an answer on her lips as she thinks about what to say next. The angel on her shoulder tells her that Hope is a friend and she needs to turn her down. 

Oh, but the devil gives her glorious and hot images of her lips on Hope’s neck and the little breathy moans she could coax out of Hope. 

She clears her throat and begins to blush red at the thoughts that had started to make its way to her mind. “I don’t know Hope… That doesn’t sound like it will work.” 

She needs Hope to see how ridiculous her plan is… there’s no possible way it should work… and if it does, why would she even want to go out with Landon.

Josie shakes her head and steals a glance at Hope again, there’s no small amount of pleading in the redheads' gaze. 

“Please Jo, I need you.” Hope brings out that devious pout again and moves herself even closer to Josie, knowing that the physical touch Hope gives her already has a sway on her decision. Hope knows her far too well. 

She can only last a few more seconds of that pleading expression before she gives in completely. “I guess I can…” 

Hope jumps up and hugs Josie tighter with her arms around her neck, kissing Josie’s cheek a few times in thanks. “You’re the absolute best, Jo.” It’s times like these where Josie realizes just how whipped she is for Hope. She would do absolutely anything to see that gorgeous smile and joyous laugh. It wasn’t often Hope let herself show emotions, Josie was one of the only people she let herself be free around. It was a treasure she would never take for granted. 

Hope still is smiling wide as she sits back on the bed while sitting between Josie’s legs, as she begins to move her hair away from her neck. The movement is enough to shock Josie out of her reverence. 

“Wait, what are you doing?” Josie had thought that Hope would wait a while before Josie did that, so she would at least have some time to prepare. 

Hope gives her a teasing smile. “Giving you room to move, I don’t think you'd want a mouthful of hair when you kissed me.”

A shocked and panicked expression makes its way to her face before she can stop it. Hope’s eyes widen as she realizes what she said. “Not that you’re going to kiss me… but my neck…” Hope does an awkward wave that is so painfully adorable gesturing to her cleanly unveiled neck and collarbone that is all too exposed. 

Josie swallows hard as she looks down at the pure and unblemished skin, her mind bringing unwanted thoughts of her lips marking the area. She had thought she would have had time to prepare...

Hope must take her staring as hesitation because she begins to panic. “You don’t have to do this Jo, I didn’t mean to push you into this… you know what we should drop the whole thing and never speak of it again. I’m so sorry.” Hope’s words begin to tumble from her mouth rapidly as she becomes even more frantic. She already is almost off of Josie before she can react, she grabs Hope by the hips to hold her back. 

“Hope, it’s okay… I want to help.” She gives the most sincere smile she can which has Hope mirroring her back. They stay staring at each other for a short while with loving eyes, Josie after a few more moments grabs Hope to shift her into a more comfortable position. 

She raises her hand to push the hair that had fallen back onto Hope’s neck so it’s out of the way. The small almost silent gasp that comes out of Hope’s mouth has Josie wishing to create more of those sounds. She leans forward until her lips are almost touching skin. 

“Are you sure?” Hope rapidly nods her head at the question, a hand reaching out to grab onto Josie’s shirt. With that being said, she leans forward and presses her lips against the soft skin on Hope’s neck. 

At first it’s just a pressing of the lips and nothing more, but Hope releases another strangled gasp as Josie begins to move. Her lips suck hard at the junction between Hope’s shoulder and neck as she grabs onto Hope to pull her closer. She feels like a vampire when she opens her mouth a little bit to nip at the skin as well. 

Another beautiful moan falls from Hope’s lips at the bite and Josie can’t help but pull her best friend even closer towards her, gripping tightly until Hope’s legs wrap around her waist. 

She bites again which is followed by another moan, her tongue comes out to quickly soothe the area of skin as she applies even more pressure to her sucking. Hope seems to appreciate the gesture as she moves her head more to the side so Josie has more room, silently begging her for more. 

Josie can’t help but give what is being quietly asked and moves her lips to another patch of unmarked skin. Hope’s whimpers make her feel a heated wave of unbidden lust settle low in her stomach. 

Once she realizes she’s becoming incredibly horny from the noises her friend is making, Josie knows she needs to stop. Pulling away is one of the hardest things she can do but she perseveres and places one last kiss on the marks before pulling away. 

Josie is just now realizing how heavy Hope is breathing, the other girl almost panting as her chest heaves up and down in an enticing manner. The low cut shirts Hope has an affinity to wear seem even lower, showing off unattainable cleavage to Josie’s prying eyes. 

Swallowing hard Josie fully pulls herself away from Hope so the other girl is sitting down on the bed, but still in Josie’s lap. Hope doesn’t let her get far before reaching forward and grabbing Josie’s face in her hand. She pulls her so their foreheads are touching and keeps them like that to breath the same air. 

“Thanks, Jo. You're the best ” Hope opens her eyes as she pulls away, still smiling at Josie with full and loving eyes. 

“Of course. What are friends for? Hopefully Landon will get his head out of his ass now.” Hope keeps her smile and moves off the bed and over towards the mirror that’s close to Josie’s bed. 

“Wow Jo! You did great, there’s no way Landon won’t be able to notice it.” Josie bites back the bile that forms in her throat at the thought. Hope was correct however, the redhead’s pale skin showing the red and slightly purple marks of the tortured skin easily. Josie may have gone overboard on how many she did. 

Two distinct marks are formed along with several reddened trails on Hope’s skin. There wouldn't be a person who wouldn't see Hope’s neck, it practically a beacon to any wandering eyes. 

After Hope is finished inspecting, she smiles again and turns toward Josie, walking over and throwing her arms around Josie’s neck. 

She feels a distinct pair of lips find their way to Josie’s shoulder in a gentle kiss before Hope pulls away. “I owe you one.” Hope winks at her one last time before plopping down on the bed and snuggling close to Josie.

Hope kitten yawns and stretches out across Josie’s body like she owns it and stays like that as her breathing evens out. Josie can feel the blush stay on her cheeks as she watches Hope sleep like a creep, eyes refusing to look anywhere else but the marks she left across Hope’s neck. 

Her body is still terribly turned on. She’s unable to do anything about it as Hope is tightly curled around her.

_ What did I get myself into? _

  
  


\---

  
  


“So let me get this straight.” Lizzie shoves a handful of Josie’s popcorn into her mouth and begins chewing while she pauses. 

“Hope fucking Mikaelson, the girl who you were in love with for a majority of your life, the same girl who is now your best friend since Freshamn year of highschool, the one who acts all tough but is a giant ball of fluff when you so much as smile at her, asked you, Josette Satzman, to give her a hickey.” 

Josie throws her hands up to her face and groans loudly, embarrassment already coursing through her. She keeps her face covered as she remembers her lips touching Hope’s skin, drawing out those breathy, near pornagraphic moans. 

“Why the hell would you agree to it?” Lizzie eats another handful while also stealing a bite of Josie’s ice cream. 

Josie, when stressed, ate whatever she could get her hands on. Lizzie happened to just be a thief and enjoyed stealing all of her food. 

“I couldn't turn her down! She was so adamant and looked so happy when she said her idea! I couldn't let her down.” Josie pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as she remembers just how Hope had asked and how ready she was to let Josie kiss her neck. Josie flushes again at the thought and looks away from Lizzie’s prying eyes.

Lizzie sees the red make its way to Josie’s cheeks and narrows her eyes. She swallows another bite of ice cream and keeps her penetrative gaze leveled to Josie. 

“Hey Jo, is there any other reason you didn’t turn Hope down? Such as you wanted to kiss her neck?” Josie’s head flies up to stare at Lizzie in utter shock, her expression mirroring a deer caught in headlights. 

“What?! No. Of course not!” Josie looks away as her blush intensifies. “Hope’s my best friend, I just helped her out. It was nothing.” Lizzie raises a single eyebrow in question. “Nothing, really? Just gals being pals? Just two best friends giving each other hickeys; platonically, of course.” Sarcasm drips from Lizzie’s words as Josie keeps her gaze away.

“She didn’t give me one.” Josie mutters while staring at a spot on the carpet. She should vacuum in here sometime. Would now be a good time? It would get Lizzie to stop staring at her like she is.

“What happened after you gave her a hickey? Did you two canoodle more? Maybe you went down on each other platonically.” Lizzie is holding back her smirk at Josie’s scandalized expression. 

“No! Of course not. She fell asleep not long after and we took a nap together. That’s it.” Josie rolls her eyes and glares a little at Lizzie’s snickering. “Calm down Jo, I’m teasing. Did Hope say how Landon reacted after he saw it?” Josie shakes her head at the question. 

“I haven’t seen Hope today, I don’t even know if he has even seen it yet.” Josie shrugs her shoulders and takes a bit of her half melted ice cream. There was only a little bit left since Lizzie had been stealing all of it. The popcorn was almost gone too, the bag is pretty much empty aside from a few stray pieces and some kernels.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t sought you out. You two always seem to be attached at the hip even more than we are. And as your twin that’s a bit concerning.” 

Josie juts her lip out in a pout at her sisters words, already reading between the lines and fearing the worst. 

“I thought we were done with the Hope hate?” Josie trails off as she asks, her voice getting quieter. When she had burned Hope’s locker and had sent the school into a furry trying to figure out what had happened, going straight outside for a good portion of the day. 

Because of the fire, it delayed their spring break trip with their dad as he had to find out what the cause of the fire was so it didn’t happen again. Josie remembers the guilt she carried after that, Hope had to be basically interrogated to figure out what happened, which she wouldn't have known since Josie had slipped the note in her locker. 

Even though Hope was cleared and the whole thing was written off as a prank gone too far, Lizzie still blamed the redhead for “ruining their spring break.” It had only delayed them about two days but it had been the end of the world to Lizzie. When they had come back, Lizzie had started an almost all out attack on Hope, both of them getting into heated arguments multiple times when they saw each other. 

Luckily Hope was a year older than both the twins and was on the high school side rather than the middle school side of the Salvatore boarding school, so they didn’t see each other all the time. 

An entire year had passed before anyone had found out it was Josie who had set the fire. When Hope and Lizzie were both in a heated argument that soon delved into a shouting match, Josie finally jumped in silencing both girls when Lizzie had brought up the fire for the nth time. 

She couldn't hold onto the guilt anymore and came clean about everything, even her crush on Hope. After she had said her piece she didn’t wait for a response before running as fast as she could away to the dock. 

It was there where Hope had found her not long after and talked with her. After that, they became best friends, and the rest was history. 

Josie had been fourteen while Hope was fifteen when they made up, now at seventeen (a few weeks shy of eighteen for Josie) and eighteen for Hope, they couldn't be closer. But while Lizzie had seemingly forgiven Hope, there was still a sort of rivalry between both Hope and her twin, seemingly trying to gain her attention over the other. 

Luckily, both had apologized for the things they had said during the animosity they had for each other since Hope was around more. But there was still a bit of tension that made its way to their words when they spoke. 

Lizzie rolls her eyes bringing Josie back to the present. “I’m not hating on her, you two are just always close together and never seem to be far from the other. I’m surprised she hasn’t sought you out today.” 

Josie shrugs and begins to gather the trash and dishes together. Once she’s done she looks off at the door, the temptation to go check on Hope at the forefront of her mind. 

Lizzie watches her while rolling her eyes, “Go. stop looking like a sad puppy and go see your very platonic  _ best friend.”  _ she puts an emphasis on her words while pointedly raising her eyebrow. 

Josie doesn’t comment on it and begins to get up and grabs her stuff. She only has twenty minutes until curfew so she’ll need to be quick about her visit unless she plans on spending the night at Hope’s. 

“Be back soon, unless you plan on canoodling Hope for the night. I’m pretty sure Alyssa is the hall monitor and you know she’d take abnormal delight in making you break your goody two shoes record of never getting a detention.” 

Lizzie rolls her eyes while saying it while getting up. “Stop saying canoodle. It sounds… wrong.” Josie says with a hint of pleading in her voice. Lizzie only smirks “Well I’m not the one giving hickeys out to my friends, dearest sister.” 

Josie shakes her head and practically runs out the door so her sister can’t tease her further, her cheeks already darkened more. 

The trip to the kitchen goes by quickly as she drops off the bowls and throws away the trash and then immediately makes her way to Hope’s room. She knocks twice and waits a few seconds as she hears rustling through the door. 

“Jo!” When Hope registered who disturbed her, her smile becomes a full blown grin, she pulls Josie through the door before the brunette knows what's happening. Josie looks around Hope’s room and sees the back of a canvas with an easel full of paint set down on Hope’s desk. 

As she now focuses on Hope, the other girl is wearing a white shirt with paint splatters over it. It's oversized as the sleeves are rolled up multiple times on Hope’s arms, and hangs halfway down on Hope’s thighs. 

Hope moves the canvas before Josie can get a look, only catching a slight hint that it’s a portrait of someone. 

_ Probably Landon.  _

Josie swallows the bile that makes its way to her throat at the thought, feeling irrationally angry at it.

Before the thought can linger or bring Josie’s mood down, Hope is wrapping her arms around Josie’s middle and bringing her close, tightening her hold on her. 

Hope buries her face into Josie's neck and places a soft kiss there, causing heat to rise to Josie’s cheeks. 

“I missed you.” Hope doesn’t let Josie go and only holds on tighter. “You saw me yesterday.” Hope pulls away to look at Josie, still keeping her close. Her cheeks puff out in an adorable pout that Josie has to stop herself from cooing at. “That was too long ago.” 

Hope goes to pull Josie into another tight and long hug, but Josie stops her as she catches sight of Hope’s neck for the first time since she’s been there. 

The two distinct purple marks are faded only slightly, as well as the red trail Josie left. “Woah.” Is all Josie can say as she brings her hand up to trail along the marks. 

Hope watches her as she does so and moves her neck to the side to allow Josie more room to trace the marks. Hope preens at Josie’s attention and seems far too smug, as if Josie was the one wearing the marks. 

“Sorry.. Maybe I shouldn't have done them so hard, I guess I got carried away.” Josie swallows hard and feels herself unable to look away from the distinct marks. Hope recoils slightly and grabs onto Josie’s hand that is still touching the marks to hold her in place. 

“No. These are perfect, you did perfectly.” Hope emphasizes her point again by leaning further into Josie’s touch. Josie nods at how adamant Hope is and smiles. “How did things go with Landon?” At Josie’s question, Hope lights up even more, her entire body changing into a hyperactive puppy. 

“It went perfectly, Jo! I’ve never seen Landon so jealous before! He reacted and tried to ask me about them all nonchalantly but couldn't keep the spite out of his voice.” Hope cackles semi evilly with a gleam in her eyes that Josie has to laugh along with her. 

“You should have seen his face Jo! He tried to look as if wasn’t affected but ended up looking constipated while trying.” Hope snorts in a completely adorable way as she moves them over to the bed. She interlocks their hands together and holds on tight to Josie. 

Hope was never a touchy person with others, but with Josie she seemed to allow for the touch far more freely and accept it willingly. Josie keeps them close together and smiles wide as Hope speaks, zoning out just a bit as she stares deeply into blue eyes. 

"I can't wait till the next time he sees me with even more." Hope releases a mocking laugh and smiles at Josie. She feels as if she missed an important part of the conversation and blinks once as she furrows her brow. 

"Even more of what?" She frowns and tilts her head as she tries to piece together Hope's sentence with only hearing half of it. 

"More hickey's. I'm thinking maybe we could do some on my collar bone and near my chest. That'll really get his attention." Hope sits back smugly with a smirk on her face as she pulls Josie so she's standing between the redheads legs. 

Her brain short circuits as she stares dumbly, her brain rolling in circles stuck on 'collar bone' and 'chest.' 

"What?" She blinks again as she tries to keep up with what Hope had said, she had been under the impression that the hickeys were a one time thing. 

"Well Landon noticed them, so we have to keep doing them to keep him noticing. Are you still okay with this?" Josie hesitates before biting her lip and nodding, hoping to alleviate the sudden concern that showed on Hope's face. 

"Ya, no, that's totally fine." Hope gives her a blinding smile before pulling Josie into another hug. "Thanks Jo, you're the best." 

It's after curfew already so Hope tells her to stay over and during the night. Josie steals some clothes from Hope that are usually oversized for the shorter girl but fit Josie's body perfectly. 

They fall asleep that night curled into each other, Hope tucked into Josie's chest and nuzzling her face in her neck. She falls asleep that night wondering how she got so lucky to have Hope as a friend. 

  
  


\---

  
  


Josie was going to go insane. No. Scratch that. She already was insane. Only an insane person would say yes to what she was currently doing. 

After a few days the hickeys had started to fade away until they were only marginally visible. Once the mark's were almost faded, Hope asked Josie to once again kiss her neck. 

Hope is sitting down in front of Josie with her legs spread wide as Josie sits in between them, her head tilted up so Josie has plenty of access. 

Hope had said she wanted them to be extra visible and show when she wears her low cut shirts, requesting Josie to leave even more than last time. 

Her cheeks flush red as she gets closer and hears Hope take a quick breath, almost sounding like a gasp. 

She leans forward until her lips are almost touching Hope’s collar bone, hovering centimeters above. Finally she closes the gap and presses into the soft skin and begins to suck. Hope gasps even louder this time as she reaches out and grips the sheets on Josie’s bed. 

It was a little risky that they were doing this in Josie’s and Lizzie’s room rather than Hope’s, but the redhead had been adamant and basically stripped off her shirt and practically got on top of Josie.

Not that Josie minded really, Hope could get on top of her anytime she wanted and she wouldn't complain. 

No. Bad Josie. 

She metaphorically shakes her head and rolls her eyes at herself while her cheeks burn even darker than they already were. The spot she had been sucking on seems perfectly tortured with her lips so she moves along the soft skin down to where Hope’s cleavage met. 

Hope moans borderline pronographic that sends a wave of heat straight to Josie’s core. Before she even knows what’s happening, Hope brings her hand from the sheets up to Josie’s hair and tugs tightly. 

She can’t stop the low groan that leaves her lips. Hope must enjoy it because she tugs on Josie’s hair again. Leaving the spot just above Hope’s breasts, Josie makes her way up to Hope’s throat, creating a line of red as she deepens her sucking.

When she gets higher on Hope, she searches for the pulsing point she knows is close by. Once she finds it, she nips once and then licks at it, continuing her impression of a vacuum cleaner. 

Hope’s a mess above her, the moans while at first seemed as if the redhead had been holding them back, now are unhinged and fall freely from Hope’s lips. She’s trembling slightly as she pulls Josie closer, wrapping her legs around Josie’s stomach so they’re connected together. 

Josie knows she needs to finish soon, that if she doesn’t it’ll seem weird, but she feels addicted to the sounds Hope is making. She doesn’t want this to end, not in the least. Unfortunately she needs to before Hope begins to get suspicious about why Josie keeps kissing her neck. 

After placing one last kiss on Hope’s pulse point, Josie pulls away. A whimper leaves Hope’s mouth as she does so and she falls forward until her forehead leans against Josie’s chest. 

They both breath heavily, borderline panting as they lean against each other. Josie’s the first to pull back, she moves Hope so the other girl is holding herself up but Josie has a hand cupping her jaw, examining the marks.

Josie may have overdone it this time, she worries for a second that Hope will be angered with her for how red her neck and chest is. She hadn’t held back in the least and the damage was done because of it. 

But Hope finally recovers as her breathing evens and she looks up at Josie with nothing but loving eyes. 

“Thanks Jo, have I told you how much I love you?” Hope pulls herself off of Josie and moves to go look at the mirror, checking out the damage. 

Josie can feel herself heat up again at the words. She walks up to where Hope is standing and wraps her arms around Hope’s stomach, resting her chin on the shorter girls head. “You have, but I definitely don’t mind hearing it a few more times.” Hope rolls her eyes and watches Josie through the mirror with a smirk on her face.

“Josette Saltzman, I love you so much. Always and forever.” Josie can feel her heart stop and tears almost well up in her eyes. 

Hope had once explained how important that phrase was to her family and the meaning behind it. She could hardly believe Hope deemed her worthy enough of the sentiment. She bites back the tears wanting to spill out and wraps Hope up tighter in her arms, moving her lips right next to Hope’s ear. “I love you too, Hope.” 

She ends her sentence with a kiss to the top of Hope’s head.

  
  


\---

  
  


Hope comes into the room quickly and slams the door closed behind her. Josie looks up from Hope’s bed and puts down her book. She feels reminiscent to a week ago when Hope had stormed in and had ranted about Landon. 

She went straight to Hope’s room this time however as they were preparing for their weekly movie night. Hope keeps her forehead pressed against the door and groans loudly, her back towards Josie.

“Hope? You okay?” 

The redhead doesn’t answer for a movement before turning around, her face as red as her hair, cheeks dark. “No.” She moves to the bed and flops down on top of Josie’s lap, burrowing her face into Josie’s leg. She sits up so she looks up at Josie.

Without hesitation, Josie begins to pet Hope’s hair and plays with the long strands. “You wanna talk about it.” Hope pouts at the question, almost causing Josie to tease her about it, but she refrains and waits for Hope to speak. 

“Your dad noticed the hickeys.” That causes Josie’s hand to falter as she takes in Hope’s words. Hope looks far too embarrassed that Josie can’t stop herself from bursting out into laughter. 

She should feel bad for Hope, but honestly this was her idea. 

Hope’s chest was covered from all the hickeys Josie left, along with her neck as well. Hope had made absolutely zero attempts at covering them up in any capacity. Choosing to almost emphasize them with those evil and seductive low cut tops. It had been driving Josie just a bit crazy when she would see Hope in their shared classes or across the halls. 

She could barely take her eyes off of them. It doesn’t surprise Josie in the least that her father noticed and probably said something to Hope about covering up. Probably with the awkward dad face he did often. Josie had been given the same conversation when Penelope had gotten carried away.

Hope pouts further and sits up, crossing her arms. She glares at Josie which causes her to laugh even more, unable to stop herself. 

Hope gets a look in her eyes that screams mischief as she quickly changes their position so she’s on top of Josie. She’s slow on the uptake which causes her to not move out of the way as Hope settles on top of her, straddling her hips. 

Before Josie can process what’s happening, Hope begins to tickle her sides, causing her to release a loud stream of laughter. She doesn’t stop and continues with a giant smile on her face as she forces Josie to squirm. 

“Hope. please, I’m sorry.” She wiggles further trying to get out of Hope’s grip, but her hands are being held above her head so she’s unable to escape. 

“I don’t know Jo, you don’t seem very sorry.” Hope continues her evil administrations as another peal of laughter escapes her mouth. Hope’s hand finds its way underneath her shirt and begins tickling the sensitive skin on her stomach 

“Hope!” Her shirt is up almost past her bra with how much Hope keeps touching her stomach. She feels entirely too exposed like this under Hope’s watchful eyes. They track her every move and every sound that leaves her mouth, finding the best way to make her scream.

“Hmmm, what are you going to do if I don’t stop?” Josie whimpers at the idea of Hope not getting off of her and wiggles around again, she doesn’t know how to get Hope off exactly, but she knows a surefire way to play into Hope’s ego.

“Please, Hope, I can’t even move when you're on top of me, you’re too strong.” She brings her lips out into a pout, hiding the smirk that wants to spill out when Hope’s hand slowly comes to a stop. 

“I am pretty strong, huh?” A playful smirk rests on Hope’s face as she sits back, still straddling her hips, but at least not tickling her anymore.

“I guess I could let you go, on one condition.” 

Josie freezes and narrows her eyes, already skeptic of what Hope is going to request. “What do you want?” She tries to sit up, but Hope moves a hand onto her shoulder to keep her down. The redhead looks away from Josie’s eyes, seeming more embarrassed. She mumbles something that Josie can’t hear. 

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Hope is still quiet before she bites her lip and looks away as an embarrassed flush takes over. “Can I be the little spoon…?” She glances back at Josie with wide blue eyes, waiting for rejection. 

“Oh sweety, of course you can.” 

Josie sits up as Hope lets her and pulls Hope to her chest in a hug. Hope allows herself to be moved as they move to cuddling so Josie is the big spoon. “For future reference, you don’t have to hold me hostage with the threat of tickles if you want to be the little spoon, ok?” 

She feels Hope nod her head and wrap Josie’s arms further around her body. They stay close together for a few minutes in a comfortable silence basking in the closeness of the other. 

“Landon hasn’t said anything else about the hickeys.” She can hear the pout in Hope’s voice. Josie already hates how much time Landon spends on Hope’s mind, let alone the lengths he’s forcing her to go to try and squeeze a relationship out of him. Hope deserves better.

Hope continues talking, her thoughts coming out in a stream of unconscious ideas that cause Josie to freeze once they process in her mind.

“Maybe the hickeys we’ve been doing are too subtle, you know? What if the next couple of days I wore skirts and had them on my thighs, that would be pretty obvious right?” 

_ Skirts. Hope’s thighs. Hickeys on Hope's thighs?! _

She blinks and can almost feel herself beginning to panic at the mere idea of her giving Hope more hickeys but this time on Hope’s thighs.

Her mind flushes at the idea of her lips so close to Hope and touching the soft skin between her legs, giving her far too many ideas that are not decent for a friend to think of their best friend. 

At this rate, Hope is going to suggest they have sex to make Landon jealous. Josie almost whimpers at the thought. “Well maybe the thigh hickeys would be overkill...” Hope works through whatever her mind had been struggling with, talking out loud and not paying Josie any mind as she relays her thoughts. 

She breathes a sigh of relief. Josie doesn’t know if she could even survive the mental images that brings up, let alone actually doing it. 

Josie decides that she has to put her foot down if Hope changes her mind on this. She can tell Hope no, it’ll be fine. 

  
  


\---

She can’t do this. Fuck she can’t do this. 

She blinks dumbly at Hope, stares and tilts her head. How can someone be so gosh damn beautiful, and not know the effect they have on someone.

Hope had brought up the thigh hickeys once again, a determined look on her face. She's wearing one of the school's signature skirts that Josie swears Hope hasn't worn in years. It rides up high on Hope's thighs and shows off creamy skin as Josie tries to keep her focus elsewhere. 

"Jo, please?" Hope brings out her secret weapon that she knows Josie can't resist. That damned pout is full and pouty and with the added puppy dog eyes to boot. Josie's a goner. 

"I don't know Hope… doesn't that seem a little… too much?" Josie's last bit of fighting comes back just enough to question it a little more. She has to stay strong and deny Hope, she can't be a pushover to everything Hope wants. 

"I've thought it out perfectly. Landon asked about them again and seemed even more jealous. This will be the last thing he needs to push him over the edge!" 

Hope smiles wide as if she didn't just say something completely crazy. She leans over and grabs Josie's hand, playing with her fingers as she does so. 

"I know it's a lot to ask of you, and I'll understand if you don't want too…" Hope bites her lip and seems unsure of herself again. "No, it's… okay. I'll do it." 

The smile Hope gives her is bright enough to rival the stars. Hope throws her arms around Josie and presses her lips over and over on Josie's cheek and neck. "Thanks Jo." She whispers into Josie's ear, causing her cheeks to heat up even more. She hasn't stopped feeling hot all over since the start of this conversation. 

Hope leans back and smiles wide at Josie, choosing to sit back on the bed and lift her skirt up until her panties are almost visible. 

If Josie looks hard enough she can see the distinct outline of Hope's--- 

She cuts herself off by sitting up and getting to her knees in front of Hope. The redhead waits patiently but expectantly while she watches Josie with intense eyes. 

"You okay?" Hope's voice is filled with worry. "Ya I'm fine. Just trying to think how I want to do this." She says the last part more to herself as she analyzes how Hope is positioned before leaning forward so her upper body is between Hope's legs. 

She swallows hard and moves forward so her lips are almost meeting Hope's mid thigh. 

"How low do you want them?" Josie's voice comes out gruff and wanting, she tries to clear it discreetly. 

Hope's hand comes down to trail along her thighs, stopping at mid thigh and going up even higher to just below her underwear. 

"How about a line between here, and here?" Josie nods and finally looks up catching Hope's gaze. The moment feels far too full of tension then it calls for, a stab of heat hits her low in the stomach. 

While still keeping eye contact with Hope, she leans forward and presses her lips to Hope's mid thigh and kisses her. Hope closes her eyes and tilts her head back releasing the sweetest sound Josie had ever heard. 

She begins to suck on the soft skin, continuing her administration for a few seconds, intent on leaving a dark mark. Hope continues to whimper, the sweet sounds flowing from her lips. Josie begins to move up, intent on leaving a trail of marks in her wake. 

She stops and nips at the sensitive flesh causing Hope to buck her hips. Josie quickly uses her hands which had stayed awkwardly on the bed and moves them to Hope's hips, pressing them further into the mattress to hold her down.

The bucking doesn't stop, but Josie doesn't let that stop her as she moves even higher on Hope. 

As she gets closer to Hope's underwear, she sucks hard on a spot that wouldn't be seen unless Hope has her skirt off, but Josie keeps sucking anyway. 

Feeling like now is a good time to stop, Josie moves to Hope's other thigh, starting in the middle once again. 

The redhead is practically panting now as one hand comes up to Josie's hair as she grips tightly, tugging once. Josie groans loudly at the touch and nips at the flesh once again. 

As Josie gets closer to Hope's panties, she can smell the arousal as clear as anything. She bites back a growl and she goes higher. 

Before anything else can progress further, the door comes open. Josie ignores it and keeps sucking on the skin of Hope's thigh as Hope continues to moan above her. 

"MY EYES!!!"

Josie and Hope bolt away from each other at the loud yelling. Lizzie stands at the door with her hand covering her eyes shaking her head back and forth as if trying to dispel what she's seen. 

"I thought I was safe from seeing my sister having sex once she stopped dating satan!" 

Josie looks over at Hope who is desperately trying to push down her skirt and make herself look presentable. 

It doesn't work as Josie tries to do the same

"Lizzie stops it. We wern’t having sex." Josie can't bring herself to look over at Hope and blushes at the thought of how close that statement was to a lie. If Hope had let her continue, she would have gone down on Hope then and there. 

The answering scoff she hears is evident to her sister not believing her. "Right Josette, because I too am kissing and slobbering all over my friends on their thighs platonically." Josie flushes again, feeling horny and embarrassed all rolled into one. 

Hope stands up and gets off the bed, also blushing as red as Josie. “I’m going to go. Um, thanks Jo for… Ya.” Hope waves her hands in a painfully awkward gesture at her thighs which even with the short skirt showed off the purple and red marks that were freshly placed. She leans over to Josie and kisses her on the cheek quickly before grabbing her bag and fleeing. 

Josie groans loudly the second Hope leaves and covers her eyes so she doesn’t have to look at her sisters knowing eyes.

“So, what the hell was that?” Lizzie crosses her arms, which Josie soon sees when she uncovers her hands from her face. “I… don’t know.” Josie goes for as honest as possible, embarrassed still but just as a whole confused. 

When she was with Hope she felt happier than she ever felt before, and the only thing she had to compare it to was her short time dating Penelope. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you and Hope were dating?” 

Josie jerks up and stares at her sister with an open mouth. “Hope and I aren’t dating.” She says it as fast as possible, already trying to convince her sister. Lizzie stares back with an amused expression. 

“Okay, I get it, sex isn’t dating. But I thought friends with benefits was more my thing? You usually can’t distinguish between platonic and romantic feelings.” Lizzie sits down next to Josie and watches her carefully. 

“We weren’t having sex… I was just giving her more hickeys.” She covers her face while she speaks, already feeling more embarrassed. “Jo, you know that this has gone too far right? Friends don’t just give thigh kisses and hickeys as a platonic thing.” 

Josie doesn’t answer nor uncover her face. She hears Lizzie sigh and scoot closer to her on the bed. “I’m going to ask you something that I want you to answer the first thing that comes to mind, okay? Promise me you will.” 

Josie does look up at that curiosity at the change of subject. “Okay, I promise.” She immediately wishes she didn’t promise when Lizzie asks her questions. “Do you have feelings for Hope?” She stares wide and shocked, unable to move. 

“I-I Don’t know. I don’t know.” 

_ Does she have feelings for Hope?  _

“That’s okay if you don’t Jo, but maybe you should ask yourself why you can’t answer that, and maybe put a pause on what you're doing with Hope until you can. You might be setting yourself up to get hurt if you don’t.” Lizzie’s voice holds nothing but kindness and care as she leans over and brings Josie over to her, wrapping her arms around her body. 

She really needs to figure out what she’s feeling…

  
  


\---

  
  


“Hey, Josie… Are you busy right now?” Josie looks up from her book and is startled for a moment as Landon is directly in her view. 

She had been so focused on her work that she hadn't realized he had tried to get her attention. “Hey, no I’m not busy right now, what’s up?” Landon takes that as a cue to pull the chair out and sit next to her at her secluded table in the library. 

“So, you and Hope are like close, right?” He moves a hand to scratch his neck, obviously uncomfortable already. Josie pauses in hesitation, unsure where this is going. 

“Ya, she’s my best friend… why do you ask?” Landon doesn’t answer right away. His expression morphs into something that is an attempt to look unaffected but looks like he’s semi constipated. Josie remembers vaguely Hope telling her something similar.

“Well, I noticed that she’s had a lot of different... “ He waves his hands in a vague gesture that Josie doesn’t follow. He seems to be struggling with what he’s wanting to say. 

“A lot of different….” Josie tries to help but still doesn’t know where Landon is going with this. 

Finally Landon seems to hit a breaking point. “Hickeys. She’s been having hickeys all over and doesn’t even seem to try to hide or cover them.” He releases a huff in exasperation. Josie frowns at where the direction of the conversation is going, feeling a wave of heat touch the back of her neck. 

“I’ve noticed them… why do you ask?” She shifts uncomfortably in her chair. “Do you know who she’s seeing? It just seemed like one day she was all over me, ya know? And then now she’s acting like she wants nothing to do with me.” Landon shifts and huffs as if he can’t comprehend why she wouldn't still be  _ all over him. _

Josie frowns at his words, confused why he’s felt like that. She would have thought Hope would have tried to get closer to Landon the past couple weeks, rather than push him away. Landon stares at her and it takes Josie a moment before she remembers he had asked her a question. 

“I think that’s a question you should be asking Hope, don't you think?” Landon frowns at the redirection, a scowl sitting heavily on his face. 

“Can you at least tell me if she’s interested in them? I was planning on asking Hope to be my girlfriend soon or maybe at least try to go on steady dates. I was actually planning on asking her to be my date for yours and Lizzie’s party” Josie swallows hard as a wave of jealousy hits her hard in her stomach. 

Bile crawls up her throat at even the thought of Hope and Landon date. She’s never liked the idea of them dating before, but for some reason now it seems like the worst thing ever. 

Her and Lizzie were throwing their eighteenth birthday at the old mill, the buzz the party created was going around crazy to all the students. She hated the idea even more of Landon asking Hope to be his date. 

Suddenly her and Lizzie’s conversation a few days prior comes to mind. She hated the idea of Landon dating Hope because she felt something for Hope.    
  


Oh God. She has feelings for Hope.

The revelation is enough to send her into a spiral as she thinks back to every single interaction she’s had with Hope. she doesn’t have enough time to analyze this as Landon is still watching her and patiently waiting for her answer. 

“I still think this is something you need to talk to Hope about…” She trails off and swallows hard. Her friendship with Hope is being tested at this moment. She could totally dissuade Landon right here and now, say Hope is crazy about someone else and get him to stop his pining altogether. 

But she can’t do that, not to Hope, she could never betray Hope’s trust. 

“But, It’s onesides, not on Hope’s end. The person she’s been seeing is pretty much in love with her, but nothing will become of it. You should ask her out. I think she would love that.” 

Landon gives her a blinding smile wide and fully happy once again. “Thanks Jo! You are the best.” He smiles once more before grabbing his bag and stalking off with a jump in his step. Josie sits back and sighs loudly, almost groaning as she places her head on the table. 

_ Fuck. _

She slowly begins analyzing her newly discovered feelings for Hope. Her realization sends her mind into a never ending spiral. 

_ When did she start liking Hope again? Did her crush ever even go away? _ She swallows hard at the thought.

“Hey, Jo.” Suddenly Hope is by her side and sits down at the table in the same seat Landon had just vacated. 

The sudden shock of the person that has been on her mind brings her out of her thoughts. “H-hey Hope. How are you?” Josie tries to smile which turns into more of a grimace. 

Hope smiles at her as well, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She watches Josie with rapt attention and she can’t help but feel like she’s under a microscope being examined under Hope’s watchful gaze. 

“I saw Landon leave just now. What did he want?” Josie can feel her heart beginning to beat out of control at the question. 

“Oh, we got what you wanted.” Josie licks her dry and chapped lips once before continuing, her throat is feeling insanely dry. 

“Word on the street is he’s going to ask you to Lizzie’s and I’s birthday party as his  _ date. _ ” She emphasizes the word date and waits for Hope to smile or show some form of happy emotion. 

She doesn’t however, only answering with a simple, “Oh.” 

Hope frowns and looks off the direction Landon had left from and then back to Josie. “That’s good right? That’s what you wanted, right?” Josie forces a smile and tries to appear as happy as possible, already confused as to why Hope isn’t reacting. 

“Is it what you want?” 

Josie’s not expecting the question and doesn’t answer it at first, but frowns and looks at Hope who is still watching her carefully. 

“I don’t understand, what would it matter what I want? This is about you Hope. You’re finally going to get your epic love.” 

Hope doesn’t answer, settling the sinking feeling Josie had felt since the start of the conversation. Hope nods and forces an obviously fake smile. “Ya, maybe I will.” With that she stands up and leans over to squeeze Josie’s shoulder. She leaves without another word and walks away, leaving Josie alone once again. 

  
  


\---

The party is almost completely coming together. People are getting the kegs into place and setting the decorations, Lizzie has been directing everyone so it goes perfectly. 

Josie hasn’t seen Hope all day and wonders briefly where she is. Now that she thinks of it, she really hasn’t seen Hope almost at all for that past week, not since Landon had left her in the library.

Josie pushes the thought away as jealousy eats inside of her, hoping for this to just be a small crush on Hope that can easily go away in a few months. A little voice in the back of her head is screaming at her, but she chooses to ignore that as well. 

Seeing that the decorating is almost done, everything is perfect for tomorrow night, it even gets a Lizzie Saltzman stamp of approval which is pretty much a gold star stamp of approval. Josie thinks about going to Hope briefly before stopping by her room, she’ll drop off her stuff and go find Hope, make sure the often reclusive girl doesn’t hide away from humanity too long. 

Once at her room, she pushes the door open to find one Hope Mikaelson sleeping on her bed. She pauses as she watches the scene and gets an uncontrollable urge to take a picture of how adorable Hope is. Her heart clenches at the site as she wants to coo.

She sneakily grabs her phone and begins taking many pictures, knowing Hope would kill her if she noticed she tries to do it fast. She fails however when hope groans and sits up looking even more adorable as she looks at Josie with half lidded eyes. 

“Jo, come here and stop being a creep.” Hope grumbles and makes grabby hands towards Josie, beckoning her. She could never resist Hope’s requests and drops her stuff by the bed before going to Hope, curling around the other girl's body as she does. 

Hope pulls her onto the bed and pushes herself on top of Josie so she’s able to cuddle close into her side, burrowing her face into Josie's neck. Hope sleepily begins to leave gentle little kisses along Josie's throat, causing her heart to skip a beat. 

Her cheeks burn at the kisses and she can do nothing but close her eyes and bask in Hope's touch. Her poor Pansexual heart melts into a puddle. 

After a few minutes of sleepy cuddling, Hope begins to move so she is sitting up, more or less straddling Josie's thigh. 

"Josie?" Hope keeps herself on top and begins to pet Josie's hair, moving her fingers through the long strands. "Ya, Hope?" Josie opens her eyes and sees Hope staring down at her with deep and intense blue eyes. 

"Do you want to date anyone?" 

Josie tries to school her features to not give anything away. Her heart picks up speed as she maintains eye contact. 

"Not really…" 

Hope raises a single eyebrow, as if she doesn't believe Josie and waits for her to continue. The silence drags on for a few moments longer than Josie enjoys, she squirms underneath Hope. 

Seeing that Josie doesn't continue, Hope hums appreciatively, still keeping her gaze cast down, watching closely. 

"Landon asked me to be his date for yours and Lizzie's party." She says it nonchalantly and continues to take her fingers gently through Josie's hair. 

Her heart clenches as the jealousy returns. "Oh? That's great Hope. That's what you wanted." Josie tries for a smile as Hope keeps petting her hair, slowly untangling the small knots that have formed. 

"I turned him down. I should have listened to you before, I don't want to date someone who only wanted me for sex." Hope shrugs as if she's completely unbothered in the least by what she just said. Josie blinks once trying to catch up. 

"But… what?" 

Hope smiles down at her and looks at her with an amused look, choosing to cup her cheek and move her thumb back and forth, gliding gently over her skin. 

"Let's just say he wasn't what I truly wanted." 

They stay like that as Josie tries to wrap her brain around what had just happened, Hope not making it easier for her when she keeps touching her softly. 

"So tomorrow's your big day. Do you have a date for it yet?" 

Josie blinks again at the change in subject, wanting to continue their talk about Landon. "Um, no I don't." 

Hope hums again and smiles like she knows a secret Josie doesn't. She moves off the bed and stands up, grabbing onto Josie's hand. 

"Let me be your date." 

Josie pauses and frowns, a crinkle forming between her eyebrows. She wishes Hope would mean that in the way Josie wants, but she knows that's far reaching and that Hope is probably just being a good friend. 

"Ya, I'd like that. I'd like that a lot. " hope gives her the brightest smile, reminiscent of when she had told Hope she had a crush on her a few years prior. This time however, Hope leans forward and places her lips delicately on Josie's cheek. 

They're far too close to her lips and make her mind fizzle out. "I'll see you tomorrow Jo," Hope squeezes her hand as well before picking up her things and walking out the door. Leaving Josie in a daze of what had just happened. 

\---

There's a knock at the door just as Lizzie finishes helping Josie get ready. 

Josie smiles wide at her sister, "that must be Mg." Lizzie gives her a coy smirk and goes to answer the door. Josie stays by the mirror and admires the Intricate braid Lizzie had done. 

"Hey Jo, I think this one's for you."

Josie turns around confused at first until she locks eyes with one Hope Mikaelson, wearing a suit. 

Josie's mouth goes dry as she watches Hope closely, the other girl stepping forward with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. 

"Hope?" 

“Hey Jo, you look beautiful.” Josie blushes as Hope moves a careful lock behind her hair and leans into place a gentle kiss on her cheek. She burns at the touch and leans into Hope further. 

“I told you I was your date. You deserve to be treated.” her heart beats faster at the words and as Hope hands her the flowers. The bouquet is filled with flowers Josie has mentioned loving before, Orchids, carnations and iris’s. “You remembered.” She can’t keep the awe out of her voice when she keeps staring at the arrangement. “I remember everything you say Jo.” 

Hope’s words hold a cryptic message to them that Josie doesn’t quite understand, but before she can think further, Lizzie is siding up between Hope and Josie, an arm around both. 

“Now I want her back in our room by midnight at the latest. No running off to the lake and skinny dipping.” Josie begins to sputter and recoil at her sister. “Lizzie! Stop it. You are not giving me a curfew.”

Lizzie eyes her with thinly veiled amusement. “Oooh I get it Jo, going to have crazy birthday sex with your girlfriend. I see you.” Lizzie winks at Josie in a terrible and non subtle way, causing Josie’s cheeks to blossom a deep red. Hope only laughs at Lizzie’s antics, already used to them by now. 

“We’re leaving! I’ll see you at the party Liz!” She places the flowers delicately onto her window seal to be placed in a vase later on, and grabs a hold of Hope’s hand dragging her out of the room. 

Lizzie doesn’t stop laughing at her, they can still hear her as they rush down the hall with Josie leading. She groans loudly once they’re far enough away and comes to a stop. Brown eyes trail across Hope’s body in the wonderful suit that Hope had chosen. She looks beautiful and so perfect. The more Josie looks, the more it seems that Hope is preening under the brunette's gaze. 

“You look so amazing Hope.” She bites her lip and glances back up to her best friend. Hope steps forward and places another kiss on the side of Josie’s head. “You look so beautiful too Jo.” 

They continue on their way outside the school and towards the old mill, walking hand in hand together. With Lizzie’s direction everything with the decorations goes perfectly and without a hitch. The lights are beautiful, the music on point; everything for their eighteen birthday is something out of a fairy tale. 

Josie is quickly realizing that when Hope is by her side, she can do anything. Hope, who has been stealing glances the entire time, looks at Josie as if she hung the star and is a part of her deepest wishes. Josie feels closer to Hope right now as they move their way to the dance floor than she has to anyone else. 

The music shifts to something softer and slower, where Josie can hold Hope’s body to hers and keep her close. Her emotions run rapid and rampant with how the night is turning out, but for once she’s not scared. 

She knows she loves Hope and doesn’t want to run from those feelings. No matter what. They continue to slow dance together until the song shifts to something more upbeat. 

“Can I get you a drink, my lady?” Hope leans close so Josie can hear the question, the music blaring loudly. 

“Why of course, you’re too kind.” Hope wiggles her eyebrows at Josie before leaning in to kiss her cheek goodbye. Josie flushes as she watches Hope walk away. That was something that had changed seemingly overnight; the cheek kisses.

They had always been close together, usually Josie initiating the interactions, but it seemed as if something changed between them. Hope was the one pushing the boundaries of their friendship, but Josie definitely was enjoying it.

Someone bumps into her from behind causing her to almost fall over, she catches herself in time. Landon watches her with a look of disdain not bothering to hide it, nor apologize for it. “Hey Landon.” Josie tries for a small smile that turns more into a grimace. 

“I should have known. It always was you.” Landon shakes his head as he watches Josie carefully. His movements were a little slow as if he had been drinking. “I should have known she would have picked you.” Landon doesn’t elaborate or allow for Josie to say anything before getting lost in the crowd.

Josie feels confused at what just happened as she watches the place Landon had just left.  _ Was he talking about Hope…? _

A hand on her arm causes her to jump and spin around, finding Hope watching her with an amused gaze. “Sorry, you scared me.” 

Hope just smiles and hands her a cup, staring at her with eyes full of love. “Thank you.” Josie keeps eye contact with Hope while she takes a sip, humming at the taste of soda rather than alcohol. Hope knew her so well. 

They gravitate towards each other again after their drinks are finished. Josie knows that just being by Hope’s side, having her full attention will make this night one of the best she’s ever had. 

“Do you wanna get out of here? I kind of have a surprise for you…” Hope trails off ominously, there’s still light shining in her eyes as her lips touch Josie’s ear as she speaks. 

Josie looks around the room one last time with all the sparkling nights. She leans over and locks Hope’s and her hand together letting the redhead lead her off into the night. 

The walk is silent as the moon is almost full and shines high in the sky. Josie enjoys the silence as Hope keeps their hands tight together. 

Soon they make their way to the lake where the docks are. Hope leads them over and sits down with Josie. They remain quiet, the only sounds of the water hitting the surf in gentle waves. The wind is only a breeze that moves through the trees. 

“Jo-” “Hope-” Both girls go to speak at once, stopping as they interrupt the other. They both laugh and turn so they’re facing the other. “You go ahead and go first.” Hope says.

Josie swallows and begins as she watches Hope closely. “I just wanted to say thank you for all of this… This night has been amazing and you made my birthday the most special it has ever been, so thank you.” She begins to play with hope’s hand, enjoying moving her fingers and fist open and closed. Hope watches her as she does this.

“You’re welcome Jo, but I have a bit of a confession to make.” Josie turns her attention back towards Hope and stops playing with her fingers. 

“Yesterday at the library, I overheard you and Landon talking…” Hope trails off. Josie frowns but doesn’t say anything but lets Hope continue. “I heard him ask you who was leaving the hickeys and if they stood a chance with me.” 

Josie feels her heart beat faster, almost pounding out of her chest. 

“How much of what Landon and I said did you hear?” Josie holds her breath while waiting for Hope to answer, her anxiety skyrocketing at what Hope could have heard. 

“I heard you say that the person who gave me the hickeys had feelings for me, but that they were one sided.” 

Josie releases the breath as her heart plummets to her stomach. Before she knows what she’s doing she’s on her feet and moving away from Hope, trying to put distance between her and the rejection that is soon to come. 

“I’m so sorry. We can forget this, please, I’m sorry.” Tears are almost falling in streams down her face. Hope quickly is up as well and begins walking towards Josie, trying to keep up.

“Jo, I don’t want to forget.” That causes Josie to stop, still keeping her distance but she stops trying to walk away. 

“I don’t want to forget because those feelings aren’t one sided. It took me far too long to realize it, Josette Saltzman, but I feel the same.” Hope cautiously steps forward now, waiting to make sure Josie is okay with the closeness before she does so. Josie lets her and watches as Hope grabs onto Josie’s hands. 

“What feelings are those?” Hope brings one of her hands to stroke Josie’s cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen. “I’m in love with you Josette Saltzman.” 

Josie can’t believe her ears and keeps staring at Hope, leaning into the touch of Hope’s hand on her cheek. “I’m in love with you too.” 

Hope steps closer so they’re breathing the same air. “May I kiss you?” She’s looking at Josie’s lips as she asks. Instead of answering Josie leans forward and captures Hope’s lips in hers in a passionate embrace. 

At first the kiss is gentle, just a pressing of the lips, but then Hope begins to move and makes everything so much more intense. Josie releases a moan through closed lips as Hope licks her bottom lip.

After a few more seconds they pull away, their breath having been taken away. Josie keeps them close and leans down so her forehead is pressed close to Hope’s 

“I love you, Hope Mikaelson.” 

“And I love you, Josette Saltzman.” 

Their lips meet together once again. Hope’s the first one to pull away this time, both still panting. “We have to stop, otherwise I’m going to repay you back for all those hickeys you gave me.” Hope is only half joking, her voice coming out deeper as she stares lovingly at Josie. 

She leans forward until her ear is right next to Hope’s. “Who said that was a bad thing.” Josie gives Hope a teasing smile hoping the other girl got her message. A growl leaves Hope’s throat that has Josie’s thighs clenching tight. Arousal already sitting low in her stomach from the kisses. 

With one last kiss to Josie’s pouty lips, Hope drags Josie with their still interlocked hands together to Hope’s room. She wanted to repay Josie for every single kiss, nip, and lick that she had given Hope in the past few weeks.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Soooo whaddya think? 👀
> 
> Lol if you wanna you catch me on twitter @Bluejay720


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